Pilates Myths

It’s time to talk about the real news.

With so much Pilates misinformation circulating today, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction.

Here are 3 myths with zero scientific bases that we hear every day.

Tell us what you think!

MYTH:  Pilates builds lean muscle.

So, muscle is muscle…lean muscle is not really a thing.  Nothing will visually change the length of a muscle. This is simply a marketing term that appeals to (sorry) the ladies who are afraid of bulking up.  We the pilates community are guilty of creating this myth, so we stand corrected.

By the way, pilates is considered STRENGTH training, so you can expect greater muscle tone all over with regular practice.

MYTH:  You can spot train your abs.

Toned abdominals are key for posture and overall strength, however, the appearance of “abs” is related to low body fat and a clean diet.

And by the way, if you are doing hundreds of crunches a day, you can stop already. Would you do hundreds of bicep curls to tone your biceps? Of course not. It’s a matter of weight load and attention to form (aka QUALITY movement) for your abs, same as the rest of your body.

How do you know if you are toning your abs in pilates? I tell my students that when they do SIX ab curls and feel an intense burn, that’s the kind of quality we are looking for.

Oh boy.  If you’re taking hot pilates or yoga to burn calories, sadly there’s no scientific basis for that idea.  While it feels like you are sweating the pounds off, sweating does not indicate a bigger calorie burn.  But you will get dehydrated so make sure to get plenty of low-sugar fluids after working out.

If you are interested in burning more energy, try one of our awesome HIIT Pilates classes which will elevate your heart rate for a greater challenge.  And yes, we will have the room at a moderately cool temp for your comfort.